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The Full House Lottery campaign is back for an exciting run this year, with over $5.1 million in prizes. The proceeds support both the Royal Alex Hospital Foundation for their PET Scanner, and the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation for their stroke ambulance. Together, the hospitals support 1.6 million patients annually. Seeing the Stroke Ambulance in person during the Festival of Trees, I know the the projects being funded will have a lasting legacy well…

The Silver Skate Festival has been a hidden gem in the city for years, and thanks to social media, this event finally receives the attention it deserves. Even in winter city, it’s hard to have an annual winter event last 27 years. In fact, it is the oldest running winter festival in the city. No other winter festival in Edmonton brings together drama, art, sports, fire, ice, and fun like Silver Skate. The 2017 festival…

Ice On Whyte is Edmonton’s premier winter festival and hosts the only International Ice Carving Competition in the city. This year, the competition was moved up a day so that visitors can enjoy completed sculptures both Saturday and Sunday. Instead of completing Saturday at noon, competitions on both weekends will be completed Saturday at noon. After last year’s successful change in days of operation opening Thursdays through Sundays, the Ice On Whyte Festival returns this…

There’s no denying that Edmonton has a very active social media community. Old message boards like Connect2Edmonton continue to thrive, while newer sites like Shoutout Edmonton jump from zero to hero overnight. From YouTubers with a quarter billion views, to a puppy Instagram celebrity, our city has some online icons who also deserve some recognition here at home. Here’s a salute to the web 2.0 stars putting Edmonton on the map.

When one spends a quarter of their adult life behind a window pane, even unobstructed views of nature are sometimes seen as just another wall of the office cubicle, especially in winter. Fortunately in Edmonton, our long winter nights, coupled with a low solar angle, means that city dwellers have the opportunity to view long colourful sunrises on the commute to work and school. Having a perch with a million dollar view and starting work…

Update: The 2016 Sheep Leaving Parade is Labour Day 2016. Family events begin at 10am, with the parade at 11am. The City of Fort Saskatchewan has an annual Sheep Parade to say goodbye to the sheep for the winter. The sheep were brought into the city in 1992 to cut the grass where it was difficult to bring mowing equipment along the river bank. Today it is its major tourist attraction of the year. Watch…

It started in Thailand, then moved to Hong Kong. Recently it has come to North America with New York and Las Vegas lining up for this latest trend in frozen desserts. Move over cold stone creameries and self-serve yogurts, stir-fry ice cream is here. Stir-fry ice cream is made by pouring cream onto a teppan grill chilled down to as low as -35°C. Mix-ins are stir-fried on the chilling surface, and when the ice cream…

Albertans have responded with love and generosity during this time, with homes and businesses offering whatever they can to evacuees. While the City of Edmonton has organized the largest efforts, there is a lot of outpouring from communities across the province and Canada. Beyond Red Cross, there are also other trusted organizations and businesses which have pledged to help. They include those which can care specifically to special demographics: from children with autism, to pets, and to veterans. Local…

The historic document Magna Carta which has influenced and impacted laws and policies around the world for centuries will be leaving Edmonton after its first visit abroad. The copy of the document, along with the Charter of the Forest left Durham Cathedral for the the first time ever, on a tour of Canada. Magna Carta Canada made its way to 4 Canadian cities while on tour, visiting Gatineau, Winnipeg, and Toronto. Edmonton is its last stop…

Here are a few ways that any cities with transit services can improve efficiency with a low-budget or few changes to existing infrastructure. The City of Edmonton transportation department and city council have been looking at large ways to improve transit in elaborate plans decades down the road. While planning for the future is important, there are immediate low-cost ways to improve transit service for cities struggling with balancing budgets and resources. If some or…